The Burrow, Batteries, and Baking
by Skyflapple
Summary: A few moments in Arthur and Nolly Weasley's lives at the Burrow.


This is my entry for round 7 of the Season 4 of the QLFC. I play Keeper for the Caerphilly Catapults and my prompt this round was to write about a pairing. I chose S. and Baking.

* * *

"All right, Molly, you can take the blindfold off in–three, two, one!"

Molly slowly lowered the strip of cloth from her eyes to see Arthur standing before her in an overgrown country lane. Behind him, beyond a low stone wall, stood a small, two-floored cottage.

"Oh, Arthur! You shouldn't have! How did you find the money?" Molly exclaimed.

Arthur simply smiled, and said, "I had some gold saved up for after our honeymoon. We never really planned where we would live after we married." He jogged up to her, offered her his arm, and continued, "Shall I take you to see your castle, noble lady?"

Molly laughed, accepted his arm, and the pair began to make their way down the lane to their new home. As they reached the front door, Arthur reached into his pocket and produced a small silver key. Molly couldn't help smiling as he inserted it into the keyhole with a grin on his face.

Of course, using a charm, as many of their friends might have done, would have been a bit more efficient, but she loved Arthur's fascination with Muggle ways.

The door swung open and Molly gasped, tears of happiness and amazement springing to her eyes. She turned to face her husband and whispered, "Arthur, it's perfect!"

They were standing in a reasonably-sized kitchen, which joined onto a dining room and a living room. In the centre of the room, a staircase led up to the second floor. She moved further into the kitchen, and said, "Oh, when can we bring our things? When can we move in?"

"Look upstairs." Arthur replied mysteriously.

Frowning, unsure of what to expect, Molly climbed the stairs and came to a small landing with a door, which she opened. She was greeted by a bright, medium-sized bedroom containing a double bed, a desk, a chest of drawers, and a wardrobe that was open, revealing all of hers and Arthur's clothes. She went out onto the landing and called downstairs, "Arthur! I love it!"

* * *

After Bill was born, Molly suggested that perhaps they ought to consider expanding the cottage to make room for their six-month-old son, who could hardly sleep in their bedroom forever. Arthur responded eagerly by going out to purchase a sizable quantity of building materials, including many wooden beams and various stone building materials, which he began assembling that very afternoon.

Molly looked up to where Arthur was balanced on the roof, levitating some beams into place. "Arthur, are you sure you can manage by yourself?" she called up to him.

"Yes, dear, I am quite fine!"

"Are you sure?"

"Yes, I am quite–AAAARGHH!" Arthur cried out as he slipped off the roof, only to be caught by Molly's quick Cushioning Charm.

"Arthur! Are you all right?" Molly sprinted over to her husband as he sat up, and brushed grass out of his hair. "Oh, I was so scared! Are you hurt?"

"No, dear," said Arthur sheepishly.

Molly breathed a sigh of relief. "New rule. You will not go up onto the roof to build on your own again!"

"But, Molly–"

"No buts!"

"Please, dear–"

"No! I won't let you do it again! I wouldn't be able to stand it if you were hurt. I don't know what I'd do."

"All right, dear. I won't do it again."

* * *

"Mum! Dad! Look! I got my Hogwarts letter!" Ron came running into the kitchen, waving the white envelope with the red seal.

"That's wonderful, darling! Arthur, did you hear that? Our Ron is going to Hogwarts with his brothers!" Molly said, pretending that she hadn't been expecting it. Ron had been showing signs of magic for years and all of his brothers already went to Hogwarts.

Ron looked down at his letter. "Can we go and get my things today?" He looked at her, eyes wide.

Molly chuckled and replied, "Of course, Ron, we'll go to Diagon Alley this afternoon."

"Thanks, Mum! I'm going to go and tell Charlie! Maybe he'll let me play Quidditch with him now!" Ron said happily, and he raced upstairs.

Molly looked at Arthur and said, "Can you believe it? Soon it will just be us and Ginny in the house, and after that it will just be us." She sighed, and Arthur took her hand and stroked it.

"Don't worry, Mollywobbles, they are going off to learn magic! It's what we always wanted, and we'll see them every Christmas, and Easter, and they will be with us for the summer holidays! It won't be so bad."

* * *

"Molly, get up! We've got to get out of here!" Arthur whispered, a frantic look on his face.

Molly yawned, and said, "What is it?"

"They've come for us."

Molly felt like she had been slapped in the face; she was suddenly wide awake. "What?"

"You-know-who has sent some of his Death Eaters after us, and we need to get away. Bill is here, he says they're coming. I've contacted Muriel and she's agreed to let us stay with her." Arthur replied quickly.

"But–but why?"

"I'm not sure, Bill said something about Harry. Now, quickly, put on your dressing gown and let's go!"

"I'll–I'll go and wake Ginny, right now," Molly said, getting out of bed at once; she felt a wave of dizzying gratitude that it was the Easter holidays, and that Ginny was home at all.

Then, almost as suddenly, she burst into tears.

Arthur, concerned, asked, "What is it, Mollywobbles?"

"Wh–what if we don't come back?" she stammered.

"Oh, Molly, I won't let anything happen to the Burrow, it's our home! Now, will you come with me?"

"Of–of course, dear. I love you."

"I love you too."


End file.
